Alumni Campus Employee Appreciation

Mike Peters

Alumni campus employees gathered in the amphitheater on June 20, 2013.

Did you know that
Montclair State University is the largest employer of our alumni? More than 400
faculty and staff have earned their degree at Montclair State. As our alumni ambassadors,
alumni campus employees play a vital role in the life of the University.

As graduates of
Montclair State and members of the campus community, alumni employees draw upon their experiences to build strong connections
to current students. Those personal
connections foster student engagement, which leads to active alumni engagement. As part of their day-to-day
work, alumni employees are able to work closely with and mentor
students. They serve as role models for students who will be tomorrow’s alumni,
demonstrating the benefits of remaining active within the University community.

In recognition of
the work of alumni campus employees, Alumni Relations hosted two welcome back breakfast gatherings in January as well as an appreciation barbeque in June,
and will continue to offer opportunities to
recognize and thank this important group throughout the year.

Gina Balestracci '04 MA, Administrator of the John J. Cali School of Music, was appreciative of the chance to sit down and enjoy the company of her fellow alumni co-workers at the barbeque this past June. "The ACE BBQ was a fantastic event!" says Balestracci, "we got a chance to sit back and relax for a few minutes on a gorgeous day in our historic amphitheater and reconnect with stories about our academic and our work experiences."

For AJ Kelton '98, '04 MA, the Director of Emerging Instructional Technology for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, the appreciation barbeque was also an opportunity to get to know other alumni campus employees.

"I thought the ACE BBQ was not just a superb idea but well executed. It was nice to be acknowledged, not just for being an alumnus, but also for dedicating my work life to Montclair State. I also enjoyed seeing all the others, many of whom I've known for years but had no idea they attended Montlclair State! I thoroughly enjoyed the event and hope more like it are planned."

Visit MONTCLAIRconnect, the exclusive online alumni community
at montclair.edu/alumni/ace to read more about ACE and to stay up to date
on planned activities for the academic year.

ACE Committee

If you are an alumni campus employee and are interested in serving on the ACE planning committee, contact Deb Corasio in the Office of Alumni Relations at
973-655-4207 or corasiod@mail.montclair.edu. The first opportunity to volunteer will be during Homecoming 2013 on Saturday, October 12.